Maple Leafs-Lightning Preview

It hasn't been shot volume that's helped the Tampa Bay Lightning get off to a quick start at home, it's been their accuracy. But when the club is off target and picking up penalties, coach Guy Boucher doesn't expect much from his team.

The Lightning look to rebound from their first home loss in more than a month Tuesday night when they face a Toronto Maple Leafs team that hasn't scored in its last two visits to the St. Pete Times Forum.

The Lightning are averaging just 27.4 shots at home -- 2.2 fewer than in 11 road games -- but they're scoring 3.13 goals per contest on home ice thanks to an 11.4 shooting percentage that is among the best in the NHL.

Tampa Bay, though, lost 4-2 to New Jersey on Saturday, failing to match the second-longest home winning streak in club history at seven. The Lightning found the back of the net twice on 23 shots, with Martin St. Louis and Ryan Shannon scoring after the club was outshot 20-13 while falling behind 3-0 after 40 minutes.

"This game takes a full team effort," Boucher told the Lightning's official website. "But tonight, we just didn't have enough."

Boucher has also seen enough of his team being a man down at home. The Lightning have been shorthanded 15 times in their last two games on home ice and are averaging 4.75 penalties there compared to 3.81 on the road.

Tampa Bay (9-8-2) is also among the league's worst at home by killing just 76.3 percent of opponents' power plays.

The Lightning, however, have to like their recent results in this matchup after winning all four meetings in 2010-11 by a combined 16-5 for their first season sweep of Toronto.

Tampa Bay posted a pair of home shutouts over the Maple Leafs (11-8-2) last season, with the last coming Jan. 25 when Dwayne Roloson record his 27th career shutout with 26 saves.

Toronto has gone 135 minutes, 42 seconds without finding the back of the net in Tampa.

Phil Kessel has just one assist in four games visiting the Lightning since joining the Maple Leafs in 2009, but the right wing leads the league with 16 goals and has 29 points.

Kessel scored two third-period goals in a 3-2 loss at Carolina on Sunday as Toronto fell for the sixth time in eight games.

"We had our chances but couldn't find a way to finish," coach Ron Wilson said.

Joffrey Lupul, among the league leaders with 25 points, could help the Maple Leafs snap a three-game road skid in this matchup as he tries to extend his point streak against Tampa Bay to six. Lupul has a goal and five assists during this stretch after setting up a score in a 6-2 home loss March 14.

Jonas Gustavsson made just one start against the Lightning last season -- a 4-3 overtime home loss Nov. 30 when he turned aside 35 shots -- but he should be in net for this matchup after rookie Ben Scrivens suffered his fourth consecutive loss Sunday.

Gustavsson is 1-0-3 with a 2.92 goals-against average in four starts versus Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay is 11-1-3 against Toronto since losing six in a row in this matchup.

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